Bill Cosby's wife defends him from sex assault claims

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Camille Cosby, the wife of comedian Bill Cosby, on Monday defended her husband from weeks-long accusations brought by more than a dozen women alleging that the groundbreaking entertainer sexually assaulted them decades ago.

"He is a kind man, a generous man, a funny man, and a wonderful husband, father and friend," Camille Cosby said in the 210-word statement released by Cosby's publicist. "He is the man you thought you knew."

It is Camille Cosby's first public statements since the wave of accusations began last month causing networks to shelve projects with "The Cosby Show" Star and several of his standup comedy shows getting canceled.

Camille Cosby, who married Bill Cosby in 1964, called her husband "the man you all knew through his work" and blamed the news media for not vetting her husband's accusers.

"None of us will ever want to be in the position of attacking a victim," Camille Cosby continued. "But the question should be asked - who is the victim?"

In her statement, Camille Cosby referenced a recent discredited Rolling Stone magazine story about an alleged gang rape at a University of Virginia fraternity.

Cosby, the trailblazing African-American comic best known as the wholesome Dr. Cliff Huxtable on the long-running, top-rated television series "The Cosby Show," has never been charged.

He was sued this month for allegedly sexually molesting a California woman, Judy Huth, as a minor at the Playboy Mansion in 1974.

Cosby's attorney Marty Singer has called the suit meritless and alleges the 77-year-old comedian is a target of extortion.
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